—(1) Subject to subsection (2), an auxiliary police officer accused of any of the offences specified in the Auxiliary Police Forces Regulations may, instead of being punished by the imposition of any of the disciplinary punishments specified in those Regulations, be prosecuted in court, and in such event shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or to both.

(2) Every auxiliary police officer who deserts shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or to both, in addition to any lesser disciplinary punishment authorised under the Auxiliary Police Forces Regulations.

(3) For the purposes of this section, a person deserts if he —

(a)

leaves or fails to attend at his place of duty in his Auxiliary Police Force with the intention of remaining permanently absent from duty without lawful authority, or, having left or failed to attend at his place of duty in the Force, thereafter forms the like intention; or

(b)

absents himself without leave with intent to avoid service in the Auxiliary Police Force or mobilised service.

(4) Any police officer may arrest without warrant any person where he believes or suspects, on reasonable grounds, that the person is committing or has committed a service offence under subsection (2).

(5) An auxiliary police officer may appeal against any finding or disciplinary punishment under this section to the Commissioner within 30 days from the date of such finding or punishment.

(6) In every case where an appeal has been lodged under subsection (5) against any punishment awarded, the punishment shall be suspended pending the determination of the appeal.

(7) The decision of the Commissioner on an appeal under subsection (5) shall be final.